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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. S. REGAN.

ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR GAS ENGINES.

Patented June 16, 1885..

WITNESSES 1 :06

.dttorney N. PETERS, Phqxumnugra hqn wnhin wn. n. D.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

' D. S. REGAN.

ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR GAS ENGINES. No. 320,285. Patented June 16, 1885.

WITNESSES Arvorney N. PEYERS, Phumuzlw rz her, Wuhingwn. D. C.

tlnrrnn rA'rEs rrica.

DANIEL S. REGAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR GAS-ENGINES.

QPECIE'IQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,285, dated June 16, 1885.

Application filed December 6, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL S. BEGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Igniters for Gas-Em gines, of which thei'ollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gas-engines; and it consists in a certain device for igniting the charge of gas whereby the gas-jet is dispensed with and the necessity of the slide-valve is entirelyavoided. As the best means of effecting this end I have employed the electrical dynamo, which I oper ate by the engine, as will be shown.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, and the letters marked thereon.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a gas-engine with my improvement attached. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the gas and air chest,

' showing one mode of operating the lever for breaking the circuit and producing the electric spark for igniting the gas in the gas and air chamber. Fig. Sis a crosssectional elevation similar to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side sectional elevation of an other construction of con tact-lever for breaking the current and producing the spark. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 1 for the purpose of showing the arrangement of the parts more clearly. Fig. (5 is a plan view of the same; and Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the chest E removed.

My improvement is well adapted to be applied to the Otto engine, and is of great value as an improvement upon the same by avoiding a great part of the friction, and cansing a large saving of gas.

The following is the construction of the same.

A represents the frame or enginebed; B, the cylinder; 0, the pistonrod; D, the counectingrod; E, the valvesha'l't; F, the bevelgear that operates the valve-shaft; G, the fly or balance wheel; H, the gas-valve; I, the pro jection or cam that operates the gas-valve; J, the cam that operates the exhaust-lever; K, the lever which operates the exhaust; L, the exhaust-pipe; M, the gaspipe; N, the air-pipe; E, the gas-chamber. 0 represents any suitable electrical dynamo-machine; l and Q the connecting electric wires.

In Fig. 3, It represents the insulated connecting-stud. S represents the connecting and disconnecting lever. T represents the pro.- jection or finger attached to the piston-head for the purpose of tripping the connecting-lever S and breaking the connection and cansing the spark at every stroke of the piston, as will be shown. U represents the poppet check-valve. V represents the shank of the connecting-stud It. WV represents the insulating sleeve and flanges for insulating the shank V.

In Fi 2, X represents the projection or finger for tripping the connecting-lever. Y represents the connecting lever. Z represents the pivot-slot in the lever Y to allow the same to rise, and A represents the slot in the same to receive the hook B upon the projection or finger X, which is attached to the piston-head.- K represents the piston-head. N represents the pulley upon the main shaft, and J represents the pulley upon the dynamo. F represents the guides; G, the cross-head of the engine. L represents the exhaust-valve.

My improvement consists in the device and arrangement by which I employ a dynamo which is connected with and operated by a pulley, N, situated on the main shaft of the engine. One pole of the dynamo O is connected with the insulated connecting-stud It or O by the electric wire Q, and the other pole with the engine by the electric wire 1 A projection or finger, X, (shown in Fig. 2,) or T, (shown in Fig. 3,) is attached to the pistonhead K, so that as the stroke is made it extends into the gaschamber E and strikes the connecting-lever S or Y.

The mode of getting the ignitingspark for the charge in the cylinder is by a direct current, and the circuit is made and broken by the action of the finger X or T striking the lever Y or S and moving the same away from the stud It or C and causing thespark, thereby igniting the charge in the cylinder and forcing out the piston, as will be shown more clearly where the operation is fully described.

The following is the operation of my i111- provenient: The engine is set in motion by revolving the fly-wheel for the purpose of sup plying a charge. As the main shaft is revolved, the bevel-gear F is revolved, by which the smaller wheel upon the main shaft, being half the size of the wheel upon the valveshaft, gives a half-revolution to the same, so as to operate the supply and exhaust valves once in two revolutions of the main shaft. The gas-valve H is opened by the cam I striking the stem of the same. As the cam-shaft E is revolved, the action of the piston sucks in the charge of air and gas through the poppet-valve U in the required proportion. When the cylinder is filled, the cam I releases the stem of the gas-valve H, allowing the same to close, and the piston K returning compresses the charge in the cylinder, and the finger T or X extending into the gas-chamber strikes the lever S or Y, operating the same, and producing the spark, as has been shown, and igniting the charge, thus moving the piston by its expansion. The end of the stroke being reached, the cam J has sufficiently revolved'to operate the lever K and open the exhaust-valve L by means of the stem 1?. Another revolution is made, when the gas-valve is opened as before,

and the piston returning compresses the charge, and the electric spark is produced, and the charge ignited as before. The poppetvalve U is returned by a light spring as soon as the other valves are closed after the cylinder receives its charge.

I have shown, Fig. 7, an under plan view of the gas-chamber E, showing the stud R and lever S. (Also shown in the sectional view,Fig. 3.) This construction I have employed in an attachment to the Otto gas-engine. It shows more clearly the position of the lever S and stud R. It also shows theperforations W connecting with the gaspipe connection M. I have shown the light spring S for returning the poppet or check valve U; but it may be dispensed with, as the back-pressure instantly closes it when the piston has made its stroke and begins to return. The chamber T being over the receiving-port of the engine when the piston moves forward to take in the charge, the valve U opens and the gas is drawn in through the gas-pipe M and the perforations W, (shown in the division V,) and-the air is drawn in through the air-pipe N.

The operation of thelever Sand stud R by the projection on the piston-head has already been fully explained.

I do not confine myself to the exact mode of U construction of the parts described, as they may be varied without changing the principle of theiroperation; and I regard the dynamomachine as simply one mode of producing a direct electrical current for producing the spark and igniting the charge in the gas-chest 1 E.

4 to illustrate the different modes which I'- Thus I have shown the figures 2, 3, and

a have employed for completing and breaking theeircuit.

I bing or grinding cont-act with the stud C,

keeps the contact-surfaces perfectly clean and insures a good connection of the circuit. Fig. 4 also shows another form of rubbing contact.

One of the most important objects of my invention is the manner of employing the dynamo-electrical machine by means of the gas chest E for the purpose of igniting the charge whether it is connected directly with the enengine.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

'1. In an electrical igniter for gas-engines, the combination, with a gas-chamber, of terminals normally in circuit located within the same, and a finger carried by the piston-head for breaking the circuit, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electrical igniter for gas-engines, the combination, with a gas-chamber, of terminals normally in circuit located within the same, one of said terminals being movable and the other stationary, and a finger carried by the piston-head and adapted to break the circuit, substantially as set forth.

3. In an electrical igniter for-gas-engines, the combination, with a gas-chamber, of a pivoted lever, a stud, said stud and lever being normally in contact, and located within the gas-chamber, wires connecting with the dynamo, and means'for breaking the contact of the stud and lever.

4. In an electrical igniter for gasengines, the dynamo O and insulated stud, in combination with a pivoted lever, the connectingwires P Q, and a finger carried by the pistonhead, substantially as set forth.

5. The dynamo 0, connected by a wire, P, with an insulated stud having its contact end located within the gas-chamber and the connectingwire Qattached to the engine, in combination with a movable lever within the gaschamber, pulleys J and N, located as described, a belt connecting said pulleys, and means for breaking the contact of the stud and lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In an electrical igniter for gas-engines, the combination, with the gas-chamber, of an insulated stud, a pivoted lever, said stud and lever being normally in circuit, and a finger carried by the piston-head and adapted to break the contact of the stud and lever, substantially as set forth.

7. In an electrical igniter for gas-engines, the combination, with the gas-chamber, of terminals normally in circuits located within the same, one of said terminals having a slot, and afinger having a bent end, and carried by the piston-head to engage the same, substantially as set forth.

DANIEL S. REGAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. REnsroNE,

L. E. REDsroNE.

gine or to any counter-shaft operated by the 

